Can you install or configure FreeNAS without ZFS?

[fnasPksky]

I would like to try FreeNAS, but the memory requirements for ZFS or way too high. Can I install FreeNAS without ZFS or configure storage so as not to use ZFS and bypass the high memory requirements?

 

[dlavigne]

If a minimum of 8GB RAM is too high, FreeNAS is probably not for you. Beginning with 9.3, FreeNAS is ZFS-only.

 

[jgreco]

You could always check out NAS4Free.

 

[fnasPksky]

If a minimum of 8GB RAM is too high, FreeNAS is probably not for you. Beginning with 9.3, FreeNAS is ZFS-only.

Are there earlier versions where ZFS is only an option?

 

[fracai]

Versions prior to 9.3 allow UFS, though jails are only supported on ZFS. I think you can get jails running on UFS prior to the 9.2 series, but I don't recall that clearly.

I'd suggest you install FreeNAS under VirtualBox and see what it has to offer. If it's compelling, save up and build a proper system. There are other NAS systems that can be put together with lower requirements.

 

[fnasPksky]

Versions prior to 9.3 allow UFS, though jails are only supported on ZFS. I think you can get jails running on UFS prior to the 9.2 series, but I don't recall that clearly.

I'd suggest you install FreeNAS under VirtualBox and see what it has to offer. If it's compelling, save up and build a proper system. There are other NAS systems that can be put together with lower requirements.

Were you addressing my question, "Are there earlier versions where ZFS is only an option?" I can't tell.

I need to know, are there earlier versions of FreeNAS where it is possible to run FreeNAS without using ZFS so that I don't need so much memory.

 

[jgreco]

FreeNAS is memory-heavy regardless, and there are security vulnerabilities in the older versions too.

 

[pirateghost]

Were you addressing my question, "Are there earlier versions where ZFS is only an option?" I can't tell.

I need to know, are there earlier versions of FreeNAS where it is possible to run FreeNAS without using ZFS so that I don't need so much memory.

The easiest answer while preventing future issues and headaches would be, NO.

 

[cyberjock]

Sorry but this has been discussed to death. If you can't do ZFS for whatever reason, FreeNAS isn't for you. Using older versions is not a very smart option and trying to bend the OS to work with sub-par hardware is going to end in tears and lost data.

Locking this thread as there is nothing to discuss. This is a flame-war topic just waiting for a spark.

 

[jgreco]

Again, try out NAS4Free as an option.